Background
There are 4.5 million stroke victims in the United States, with 750,000 new cases each year. Among them, 15‑20% have serious vision loss. However, currently, each of the patients is sent home with essentially no treatment options to restore or improve their loss of sight.
Technology Overview
Researchers at the University of Rochester have developed an application for retraining and evaluating a patient’s damaged visual system (either cortical or subcortical). The principles of this method could be applied to retrain patients with damage to other sensory systems, including the somatosensory or auditory systems.
The retraining system uses complex, dynamic visual stimuli (i.e. random-dot kinematograms), which are spatially extended. This method is the first retraining paradigm that aims to retrain complex motion perception in humans. This procedure requires the patient to make discrimination rather than a detection judgment. The system is designed specifically to stimulate and increase function in higher-level visual cortical areas affected by damage. In addition, the present system pairs visual retraining with the evaluation of improvements in complex visual perception, in complex, naturalistic, environments-both real and virtual.
Further Details
Saionz EL, Tadin D, Melnick MD, Huxlin KR. “Functional preservation and enhanced capacity for visual restoration in subacute occipital stroke.” Brain : a journal of neurology. 2020 May 18; Epub 2020 May 18.
Benefits
- First retraining system to retrain complex motion perception in humans
- Designed to stimulate and increase function in higher-level visual cortical areas
- Can be remotely administered
- Clinically proven to restore vision in patients suffering from strokes in their occipital lobes
Applications
- Visual retraining treatment for patients with cortical blindness and other forms of extra-ocular visual impairments
- Visual retraining treatment for patients with neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s)
- Visual training for normal, aging humans interested in retarding visual decline
- Performance enhancement for athletes and military personnel who need to improve visual performance